How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
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Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
No no - everyone else you have spoken to says they are having a ball!Thanks Amber for post else where - it made us feel less unusual as everyone l've spoken to is having a ball!
The emperor's new clothes?
Acquaintance with son at a GS not far from here is telling everyone what a great time he is having - loads of new mates, loves the journey etc, so glad we made that choice etc etc. Same child crying in a friend's car 'I really hate it'. You are not alone, believe me; and at least your child has told you about it, not her [primary school] friend's Mum.
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
oh dear, mine really does like it so far. And he likes climbing trees, isn't one of these assumed hot houserees (?word? poss not 
) Oh well. Takes time sometimes. All very different, etc. Very early days. As Tolstoy suggests, some would hate it anywhere. My older - popular at primary and loving primary was a happy mover (though still misses much of primary, not least the journey), younger - not popular at primary and disliking much of primary, esp peer group is a very happy mover. We're lucky. So far .... Only been there a week!
) Oh well. Takes time sometimes. All very different, etc. Very early days. As Tolstoy suggests, some would hate it anywhere. My older - popular at primary and loving primary was a happy mover (though still misses much of primary, not least the journey), younger - not popular at primary and disliking much of primary, esp peer group is a very happy mover. We're lucky. So far .... Only been there a week!-
Perplexed 2009
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:45 pm
- Location: Gloucestershire
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
Thanks for kind words. Yes, same house, Milla.
Managed to get DD to agree that she enjoyed the induction day, today.
They didn't seem to mix them up with the others though. She thinks the other house girls (that they do some sports with), flounce around in a group and think they are great.
She thinks she is very tired, not just physically; but considering she is still in bed when some are getting on the bus she can't really complain!
Managed to get DD to agree that she enjoyed the induction day, today.
They didn't seem to mix them up with the others though. She thinks the other house girls (that they do some sports with), flounce around in a group and think they are great.
She thinks she is very tired, not just physically; but considering she is still in bed when some are getting on the bus she can't really complain!
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
DS1 (at Pates this year) had a wee cry last night. Missing primary, the familiarity, big fish in small pond, knowing the routine, not wanting to grow up etc. We had a talk and he admitted that he feels the pressure of making it to class and not being late. Also the pace of writing required in one lesson, to date, he felt was beyond him and had to catch up at home. I reassured him this is all normal and that probably most kids feel a little out of their element the first few weeks of big school. This has nothing to do with the school not suiting him, nor him not suiting the school. Having just started in a new department at work this week, I can fully appreciate where he is coming from 
. It takes time and, in my opinion, the staff at Pates have tried very hard to help the kids settle in 
.
All that said, he woke this morning and could not wait to get out the door to the activity day. Came home with a very respectable air rifle target (now also saving for one!) and full of the joys of (almost) autumn. I do think there has to be a period of adjustment. After all they are not only at a new school but starting all that hormonal business as well. I am sure a month from now it will be all very different and they will have found their feet.
What with the pressures of DS2 sitting the test as well in 3 weeks I had to have an early night. Breathe innnnnn and slowly outttttt......as I watched my head bob off into the distance...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
. It takes time and, in my opinion, the staff at Pates have tried very hard to help the kids settle in .All that said, he woke this morning and could not wait to get out the door to the activity day. Came home with a very respectable air rifle target (now also saving for one!) and full of the joys of (almost) autumn. I do think there has to be a period of adjustment. After all they are not only at a new school but starting all that hormonal business as well. I am sure a month from now it will be all very different and they will have found their feet.
What with the pressures of DS2 sitting the test as well in 3 weeks I had to have an early night. Breathe innnnnn and slowly outttttt......as I watched my head bob off into the distance...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzRe: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
As for many, our first week has been ups & downs. DD madly keen to get going after being last school to go back (Pate's), then tiredness/enormity of it all hit and last night we had few tears of exhaustion I think. However, bounding around at 6.30am again today, packing bag, cheerily waving as she headed off for the bus. Home again, aching shoulders from small forest of paper items lugged plus games kit plus clarinet ...... still enjoying it, apart from organisational side of things. Communication doesn't appear to be running smoothly between staff and pupils, let alone parents, and DD's finding that quite frustrating! Missed whole of lunch & hockey club yesterday queuing for mouthguard fitting, ended up eating her lunch at 2.30 in german lesson! And don't get me started on the chaos that is House Music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Friendships are forming - seem to be a nice bunch of girls so far - and she's even mentioned a few 'not so bad' boys. Panini and curry seem to get top billing overall though!
Personally, very emotionally tired at the mo - looking forward to it all settling over the next few weeks, and wondering what it was all about by xmas. For now, pass the wine & chocs!
Friendships are forming - seem to be a nice bunch of girls so far - and she's even mentioned a few 'not so bad' boys. Panini and curry seem to get top billing overall though!
Personally, very emotionally tired at the mo - looking forward to it all settling over the next few weeks, and wondering what it was all about by xmas. For now, pass the wine & chocs!
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gloucestermum
- Posts: 739
- Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
- Location: Gloucester
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
I'm reading all your comments with a sense of deja vu!
As a year 9 vet,
,it won't be long before things settle down.Certainly by half term all the little niggles seemed to have been sorted,and by Xmas you wonder what all the fuss was about!
As a year 9 vet,
,it won't be long before things settle down.Certainly by half term all the little niggles seemed to have been sorted,and by Xmas you wonder what all the fuss was about!Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
is not the Pate's house music spreadsheet one of the more exhausting things to have been passed our way? closed my eyes to it rather and was, for once, pleased that the clarinet languishesunloved and unusable in the porch. It looks like they snatch your soul, these housemusic people, and it's sessions morning, noon and night. Unless all you do is growl and croak like my small one; who is, on the non-music side, still surprisingly chipper about it all. Set about his homework this evening with nigh-on videoable enthusiasm. Luckily his bro wasn't about to mutter, "weirdo." Sigh. That's Y9 for you. (Or, for us )
)Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
Hi
DS1 has just started at Pates:
Good points:
day 1 - great relaxed day in own clothes with music workshop and mini performance at the end of the day made next day in school uniform and with rest of school less daunting for him.
Bits of homework to get into routine but nothing too time-consuming yet.
School lunches are good but not much time to actually eat them as queues are long.
Chess club
Bad/OK bits
Induction day only got an OK - he wasn't too keen on the shooting which I thought he would love but orienteering was fun.
House music - can't work out if it is compulsory or not but all seems very full on with rehearsals scheduled for every day next week, after school as well - and he can't even sing!! Not sure when they get to eat lunch?
Have now boiled gum shield at least 6 times and it still falls out - ARRRRGH.......
DS1 has just started at Pates:
Good points:
day 1 - great relaxed day in own clothes with music workshop and mini performance at the end of the day made next day in school uniform and with rest of school less daunting for him.
Bits of homework to get into routine but nothing too time-consuming yet.
School lunches are good but not much time to actually eat them as queues are long.
Chess club
Bad/OK bits
Induction day only got an OK - he wasn't too keen on the shooting which I thought he would love but orienteering was fun.
House music - can't work out if it is compulsory or not but all seems very full on with rehearsals scheduled for every day next week, after school as well - and he can't even sing!! Not sure when they get to eat lunch?
Have now boiled gum shield at least 6 times and it still falls out - ARRRRGH.......
Pushkin
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
our gum shield is rubbish, too, Pushkin. I think we've only given it two boils and it's now disappeared. He claims not to like rugby but his bro took to it like a duck to water which is probably one of the reasons he doesn't want to warm to it - very into pursuing his own path.
House music seemed to be compulsory one lunchhour (cue uneaten lunch - he has packed lunches) but he's saying he doesn't have to go to the others. However he is one to make assertions which are to his liking rather than having much bearing on the truth.
Does anyone know if the house music IS something they have to go to - seems so much of it!!
House music seemed to be compulsory one lunchhour (cue uneaten lunch - he has packed lunches) but he's saying he doesn't have to go to the others. However he is one to make assertions which are to his liking rather than having much bearing on the truth.
Does anyone know if the house music IS something they have to go to - seems so much of it!!
Re: How was the first week at GS? Good and Bad points?
DS tells me that the house reps informed them it is compulsory if you want to win (it's a choir apparently). The teachers also mentioned it was a non negotiable event. DS does not play an instrument and has no real interest in learning so I am not sure how much of the rest of it he needs to attend. I didn't even open the attachment about music because I, incorrectly, assumed it was a voluntary situation which DS was not required to attend. Better go and hoak it out of the trash folder!
